Gold Standard PBL:
Project Based
Teaching Practices
Teachers who make Project Based Learning a
regular part of their teaching enjoy their new role,
although for some it might take time to adjust
from traditional practice. It’s fun to get creative
when designing a project, instead of just using “off
the shelf” curriculum materials. Most teachers
like working collaboratively with their colleagues
when planning and implementing projects, and
interacting with other adults from the community or
the wider world. And PBL teachers find it rewarding
to work closely alongside students, tackling a realStandard
PBL
world challengeGold
or exploring
a meaningful
question.
Seven Project Based
Teaching Practices
teachers don’t “teach” in a PBL classroom. Many
traditional practices remain, but are reframed in
the context of a project.
Design & Plan
Teachers create or adapt a project for their context
and students, and plan its implementation from
launch to culmination while allowing for some
degree of student voice and choice.
Align to Standards
Teachers use standards to plan the project and
make sure it addresses key knowledge and understanding from subject areas to be included.
Build the Culture
Teachers explicitly and implicitly promote student
independence and growth, open-ended inquiry,
team spirit, and attention to quality.
Manage Activities
Align to
Standards
Build the Culture
Design
& Plan
LEARNING
GOALS
• Key Knowledge
• Understanding
• Success Skills
Engage
& Coach
Assess
Student Learning
Teachers work with students to organize tasks and
schedules, set checkpoints and deadlines, find and
use resources, create products and make them
public.
Scaffold Student Learning
Manage
Activities
Teachers employ a variety of lessons, tools, and
instructional strategies to support all students in
reaching project goals.
Assess Student Learning
Scaffold
Student
Learning
Teachers use formative and summative assessments of knowledge, understanding, and success
skills, and include self and peer assessment of
team and individual work.
Engage & Coach
When transitioning to PBL, one of the biggest
hurdles for many teachers is the need to give up
some degree of control over the classroom, and
trust in their students. But even though they are
more often the “guide on the side” than the “sage on
the stage,” this most certainly does not mean that
©2019 BUC K I N S T I T U T E F OR E DUCAT ION
Teachers engage students in their learning and
work alongside them to identify when they need
skill-building, redirection, encouragement, and
celebration.
Adapted from Setting the Standard for Project Based Learning:
A Proven Approach to Rigorous Classroom Instruction, by John
Larmer, John Mergendoller, Suzie Boss (ASCD 2015).
P B LW o r k s . o r g